17-05-2024, 12:40 AM
The ownership have had plans to develop the Peter Taylor stand for quite a few years. Not much has really happened in that time. Even if completed the stadium would be relatively small in comparison to the premier league we want to compete with. Some have said an extra 10,000 or even 20,000 capacity only provides a drop in the ocean of extra income when compared to tv money and prize money and so it is not worth the sadness departing the City Ground would leave us with. Others have pointed out a multi use 50,000 stadium would provide a lot more opportunities to raise income than just 19 games a season. Also monopolising the match day hospitality would also vastly increase income streams. For me the dilemma is do we want to continue to proritise the clubs community roots and value or become more of a commercial brand like a sporting franchise. The truth is football in the premier league is going the way of the latter. Where Man Utd and Liverpool led the way the likes of Man City Arsenal Tottenham chelsea have followed. Clubs strongly associated with their communities in relatively financially deprived fanbases like West Ham and Newcastle have gone that way. To break into the cartel at the top end of the premier league it has become about maximising income to get the best players. Those clubs have become brands and are no longer synonymous with their local communities. If we want to break into that I fear we will need to the same or else accept we are never going to establish ourselves in this league for long. Toton probably gives us greater opportunity to do that. Reading between the lines it looks like we may have been offered incentives to move and convince the owner to change his plans. I wonder if this is our once in a generation opportunity moment similar to Man City and Wham getting given new multi purpose enlarged stadiums.